Sherman Hill News

[wmjindsm]

I don't know if they are still planning the same tenants but I noticed there is a couple of big dumpsters and storage bins outside this building now.

Sometimes I don't know which thread a picture belongs. So I'll choose openings/closings for this project. This is an empty 2 story storefront on the corner of Center & 19th. Street in Sherman Hill. This street used to be where all the traffic went before the new MLK Parkway opened up.

On my walk the other day I noticed the tentative plans posted on the front door. The building is to be rehabbed and the ground floor will be a womens wellness and mid-wife clinic. Upstairs would be a 2 bedroom apartment I believe. This building will look great once it's done. It has "great bones."

[DMRyan]

I was reading a commercial real estate report from the DSM Business Record and read that Hatch Development is eyeing the renovation of the Portwell Apartments at 16 or 17th and Woodland. This may be a ways off since Hatch seems to develop properties pretty slowly, but I don't recall this being mentioned on the forum previously.

Portwell Apartments

[Better Life dude]

I was reading a commercial real estate report from the DSM Business Record and read that Hatch Development is eyeing the renovation of the Portwell Apartments at 16 or 17th and Woodland. This may be a ways off since Hatch seems to develop properties pretty slowly, but I don't recall this being mentioned on the forum previously.

Portwell Apartments

That building is in pretty tough shape, but it's on a prominent corner on Woodland Ave. near Gateway Market.

[Aulus]

I understood that Jack Hatch has owned those two slum properties, Portwell and Wellsport, for many years.

I would welcome a renovation of them, as they have been a blight on the neighborhood for the 20+ years that I have lived in the neighborhood. The worst instance was about 15 or 16 years ago. I and my then young kids drove by one afternoon, finding the place surrounded by cop cars, an ambulance and the ME's meat wagon. As it turned out, one of the tenant families had an extremely horrible domestic dispute. The husband ended up shooting his wife to death and then shot himself. Their two year old twins witnessed it all. they found them, an estimated five hours after this all happened, wandering about the apartment covered in their parents' blood and leaving bloody footprints across all the floors.

To this day, I can't go by there without a shudder.

[dogbo]

I noticed last time I drove down Woodland, that it appeared 3 or 4 house in a row all appeared to be in various stages of renovations (south side of the street). This was great to see. Anyone know the scope? I have to assume it is the same individual working on them all.

[wmjindsm]

I noticed last time I drove down Woodland, that it appeared 3 or 4 house in a row all appeared to be in various stages of renovations (south side of the street). This was great to see. Anyone know the scope? I have to assume it is the same individual working on them all.

No they are seperate owners. I don't know the exact addresses, but the brick house on Woodland is being put on the market - my co-worker moved to a different part of town and they were just fixing it up a bit. The house next to it had been split into apartments and is now in the process of being restored into a regular house again. I don't know about the other houses.

[Young DSM Social Club]

Oh, he probably has to wait awhile until he can make sure the State gets him some nice tax credits and he can get a good developers fee like most of his projects. Sorry, just heard WAY too much from bankers that would know.

[Better Life dude]

Walked by the Smokey Row cafe site today and peeked inside their windows. They keep plugging away inside. The oak wood flooring is in and has been stained. They have their commercial appliances/freezers on site as well as their display cases. They have installed some old fashioned ceiling light fixtures as well as track lighting and in their front room have added a partial drop ceiling made from older tin ceiling panels. They have installed a drive through window on the west side of the building. All of their exterior concrete work is finished.

I could have eaten a couple dozen meals there by now if they had opened a few months earlier. I guess good things come to the who can wait.
Here's another wise old saying: perfection is the enemy of the good. In other words, I'd wish they'd hurry up and get open.

[dogbo]

Oh, he probably has to wait awhile until he can make sure the State gets him some nice tax credits and he can get a good developers fee like most of his projects. Sorry, just heard WAY too much from bankers that would know.

I've said this before when this topic has come up. Given the fact he keeps taking on urban projects that so many of the big developers seem to ignore (in favor of the suburbs ), I have a hard time getting too bent out of shape if he is getting some favorable treatment.

[Young DSM Social Club]

Smokey Row: Did they put in wood floors? I thought there not due to the huge cost. Nice if they did!

Hatch: Sure, he puts in urban projects, but so could you and I if we had the right connections and somebody else subsidizing the cost. I'd spend all day working on projects if my life was being subdized by a developers fee partly being paid for by taxpayors. I like some of his projects and I definitely prefer them over an empty field, but I know many people who would do as well, or better, projects if they had the funds. Most of his projects end up being watered down versions of what was initial proposed (see multiple topics on this board).

I'm pretty sure if I gave $5,000,000 to the top 10 people who post on absolutedsm.com which would give them the case to get good bank financing, we'd have some fantastic projects popping up all over DSM proper. Unfortunately, we aren't well-connected politicians who know how to work the system. Sorry, I did a 180 on the guy after hearing too many stories from different bankers.

I don't mean to be libelous, so please delete if inappropriate!

[IowaNomad]

Not sure where to begin with someone's idea that receiving tax breaks is bad. Businesses don't run on sunshine and smiles but on margins. By taking the incentives a company has the ability to immediately reduce fixed expenses and compete in the long term. This is both good for the business and the city.

I am ignorant on this but pretty sure no one else was looking at getting into that building. Then hiring staff, paying sales tax, paying property tax (at some point), and taking a blight out of the neighborhood.

Don't judge someone for getting something others may have been to shy or ignorant to get. Like it or not a successful business pushes to reduce every cost possible. If they do not they will be out of business. Also, the incentives are a two way street. The city should not do them unless it was good for them as well.

[Better Life dude]

Update: On my walk tonight, I looked in the Smoky Row restaurant windows. The interior is looking about 80% finished. Although it's hard to quantify since I don't what finished will look like. Booths have been placed in the east section and more work around the very large ordering counter has taken place. The exterior looks all done except for landscaping (a few trees needed on the sidewalk area).

If the owners are reading this thread I would strongly hint to them that the Sherman Hill annual fall tour of homes will be in one month: September 19-20 & 26-27. What a great time that would make for a grand opening celebration.

[Better Life dude]

Slow & steady wins the race: Smoky Row has signs outside saying they are now hiring for positions for their Sherman Hill location. They should have no shortage of applicants in this economy. Driving by last night around 6pm, the place was a beehive of activity and all the lights were on inside. So they look to be getting very close to an opening. Yeah!

[Better Life dude]

This weekend and next weekend is the annual Sherman Hill tour of historic homes. You can buy tickets at the Wallace House located at the corner of 16th Street and Center Street in Sherman Hill.

IN ADDITION: you can stop by and go inside Kingsway Cathedral at Cottage Grove and MLK Jr. Parkway. My wife and I stopped in tonight on our walk and we were greeted with enthusiasm by Paster Kenny and his crew who are working tonight on cleanup for this weekend. I had never been inside the sanctuary before and it's a gem inside. It's very safe to go inside and you can see how much work they have already done to stabilize the building and clean it up. They are even peeling back the years of paint to see how the original walls looked when the church was built in 1902.

IN ADDITION: Smokey Row Cafe will have it's doors open for anyone to stop by and visit. They aren't officially serving food yet and won't be this weekend, but they want everyone to see their renovation work and they are making their restrooms available to those out for a walk on the tour of homes. Smokey Row Cafe is across the street from Kingsway Cathedral.

[dogbo]

Looking forward to the tour. Never miss it!

[Better Life dude]

I stopped by and spoke with the owner of Smokey Row Cafe last evening. He gave me and my kids a tour! He mentioned that they hope to be open for business by next Thursday, October 1st.

He also mentioned that this Saturday the 26th, they will be having an open house and GIVING AWAY FREE LATTES to those who stop by and they will have live music on the patio. This is in conjunction with the Historic Tour of Homes in the Sherman Hill neighborhood which will be this Saturday & Sunday.

Smokey Row is a coffee shop with an ice cream soda fountain and cafe. They will have free wi-fi and be open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In Des Moines they are at the corner of Cottage Grove & MLK Jr. Blvd.
Here's a link to their website and menu:
http://www.smokeyrow.com/Home.html

[dogbo]

We stopped in when we were on the Sherman Hill tour last Sunday. Very impressed with the work they did on this building. Top notch. Can't wait to try their food!

[IowaNomad]

Today I received an email from Vines to Wine. Eric said, "Vines To Wines will soon become a full fledged winery, in addition to being an On-Premises-Wine-Making business ." It looks like he will be ready to reopen as a winery in October or November.

Anyone know if it is staying in Sherman Hill?

[Boeckman]

I just talked to Krista Bennett, an owner of Smokey Row Coffee in Sherman Hill. The opening they were hoping to have on Oct. 1 has been delayed. There's a problem with the hood installation and that must be dealt with before a certificate of occupancy is obtained. She thinks it can be installed on Wednesday, but the earliest possible opening would be Friday. It will still be open for lookers this weekend during the Sherman Hill tour.
http://tinyurl.com/y8ko524

[Better Life dude]

I volunteered this morning to sell tickets for the Sherman Hill annual home tour. Then I was able to visit all the homes on the tour and stop by Smokey Row Cafe. There's one day left of the tour - tomorrow (Sunday). The mix of homes is really good this year. Some are works in progress where the owners are busting their you-know-whats to meet their own personal deadlines. Some are completed and are truly beautiful. The ones that stand out for me are 3 homes all within one block of each other on 16th Street and the row house on Woodland Ave that was moved two years ago from the site of where Wellmark building is going up. You can buy tickets at the Wallace House at 16th and Center Street from 10am till 4pm. You won't be disappointed.

Smoky Row was very busy with people stopping in for their FREE coffe drinks. Tomorrow they will again be serving FREE coffee drinks for you when you stop in.

[Young DSM Social Club]

The tour was great this year. Good mix of houses. A perfect day for it.

This is one of those great and unique events Des Moines has that I always wish more of the people I know my age and younger who live in the suburbs would visit. So many of them never set foot in Des Moines, with rare exceptions, and this is one of those events that really highlights what makes Des Moines so much better than suburban life and changes opinions.

Smokey Row is a wonderful addition to the area. I think it's probably the nicest and coolest coffee shop in the entire town.

[DMRyan]

I stopped into Smokey Row for lunch the other day and would also 2nd that it's probably the coolest space for a coffee shop around, seconded by the setting at Java Joe's. They're already making plans for small concert performances too. I'm waiting to see what the large patio area brings during next year's warm weather too. This seems like it will become a prominent meeting place in Sherman Hill and a mini-cultural venue too, similar to what Mars Cafe has become to the Drake Neighborhood.

I'm so glad the owners stuck it out and persevered to bring this business to DSM. It was 3-4 years of hard work jumping through virtually every process they possibly could to open up shop and I hope they're rewarded with a steady clientele.

[Better Life dude]

I'm so glad the owners stuck it out and persevered to bring this business to DSM. It was 3-4 years of hard work jumping through virtually every process they possibly could to open up shop and I hope they're rewarded with a steady clientele.

Very few people would have gone trough what these owners did to get to opening day. Hats off to them.

My wife and me went to Smokey Row last Friday for lunch - their first day of business. The food was good and the workers were learning the ropes with real paying customers. The three times I've been there (2 while they were doing open houses) there were a couple tables of college students camped out drinking coffee and studying. That was very encouraging. This place has something for everybody.

[jpkdsm]

I really would love to support Smokey Row, but seriously... Here's my verdict on my initial visits to their shop. Mediocre coffee, nice atmosphere and BAD music. About the music... I'm not kidding when I say that someone stole Ryan Seacrest's iPod and put it on shuffle.

While ordering, I asked the server which coffee had been brewed most recently and she couldn't tell me which one. This showed me that they really don't brew their coffee on a regular basis. This isn't a huge knock, but it shows a lack of attention to their core product. It made me wonder if the coffee I was going to be drinking was sour, but I think I got the lucky batch and that it tasted relatively fresh, though the flavor of the Smoky Row Blend wasn't anything spectacular. In fact, in a blind taste test, most would probably prefer the coffee of the Drake Diner.

I guess I'll give it a few more tries, but as far as cornering the market on great coffee, you're going to have a tough time beating Mars Cafe, Ritual or Java Joes.

[Better Life dude]

I really would love to support Smokey Row, but seriously... Here's my verdict on my initial visits to their shop. Mediocre coffee, nice atmosphere and BAD music. About the music... I'm not kidding when I say that someone stole Ryan Seacrest's iPod and put it on shuffle.

While ordering, I asked the server which coffee had been brewed most recently and she couldn't tell me which one. This showed me that they really don't brew their coffee on a regular basis. This isn't a huge knock, but it shows a lack of attention to their core product. It made me wonder if the coffee I was going to be drinking was sour, but I think I got the lucky batch and that it tasted relatively fresh, though the flavor of the Smoky Row Blend wasn't anything spectacular. In fact, in a blind taste test, most would probably prefer the coffee of the Drake Diner.

I guess I'll give it a few more tries, but as far as cornering the market on great coffee, you're going to have a tough time beating Mars Cafe, Ritual or Java Joes.

The owners are there every day - you should tell them what you told us. They would appreciate the feedback.

I've been to Smokey Row several times since they opened and the help all seem to be of high school and college age - but I view that as a good thing in these economic times: kids having real, part time jobs at a nice cafe. Sure. they need polish, but I did too at the jobs I had in high school and college.

As far as their coffee goes, I haven't really tried it yet. So I have no opinion about it.

[MusicMan]

I ordered some soup which I was told had no meat - it did. They promptly appologized though, offered me anything else on the menu, and even gave me a $5.00 gift card. Good recovery - I'll be back.

[rasmeth]

My expectations are exceeded by Smokey Row. They have a versatile place. Studying, get-togethers, dinner, ice cream, and a cafe too. They did a good job with the structure. The stained glass across the street is beautiful when lit up at night.

[wmjindsm]

The big neon sign for Smokey Row has now gone up, it looks very nice, can't wait to see it at night.

[Ingersoll1978]

The big neon sign for Smokey Row has now gone up, it looks very nice, can't wait to see it at night.

Thanks for pointing that out wmjindsm! Drove by and snapped a few pictures:





More on the project page: http://www.absolutedsm.com/des-moines-p ... house.html

[DMRyan]

The Green and Main renovation at 800 19th Street "broke ground" last week for this model sustainability historical rehab project. Not much else happening in Sherman Hill right now, other than the renovation of the home moved in to make way for the MLK Brickstones project.

Smokey Row is planning on tearing down a duplex home south of their existing building to expand their parking lot. I think they anticipated this being more of a neighborhood gathering spot where people would walk/bike to, but the end result has made this more of a destination with people traveling from further away, thus driving and requiring more parking.

Once the MLK Brickstones are out of the way, Hatch Development and Koester Construction are looking to move forward with the construction of the Olive Street Brickstones, on the site of the unbuilt phase II of the Olive Street Lofts project. It will probably be next year before this gets serious though.

Lastly, the city is really trying to find and financially assist a developer than can complete the renovation of the abandoned Murillo Building project.

Green and Main current:


Green and Main proposed:


http://www.greenandmain.org/index.php?o ... e&Itemid=1